January 30, 2015 SIMPLIFY
Ephesians 5:10 “…trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.”
Most people I talk to would like to see life more simple-and so would I. We were told at one time that the new advances we were making technology would enable us to work less and give us more free time-(ha ha!) I know that we can’t turn the clock back to the “good old days”, but I believe that we can attain a greater sense of “simplicity” in a chaotic world. To live a life of purpose and direction and enjoy a sense of simplicity, we have to have some motivating force or goal within that determines and directs our life. For example, if I am committed to working in my workshop on Saturday, then other distractions or possibilities or eliminated. Having a pre-determined plan or goal will reduce or eliminate a lot of distractions. This principle is especially true in our walk with the Lord. As in the above verse, if our goal, our ambition in life, is to learn the things that are “pleasing to the Lord”, we will indeed discover purpose in all that we do. The words “trying to learn” implies that we are not robots and that everything is not automatic in life; but rather we are individuals who can learn, who can make choices and who can discover truth. This verse also points out that our God is personal and that we can actually have interaction with Him; and that we can please Him and we can displease Him as well. Just the fact that we have the opportunity to please God-the creator of everything-should be the great motivation in our life. The goal of pleasing Him cannot be just mental on our part, but has to be the desire of the heart as well. It’s possible for us to please Him in everything we do-even washing the dishes, mowing the grass, etc. We see this truth in Romans 8:28 “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” When our heart is to please Him, nothing is mundane - everything has purpose! I believe that the one big thing that God desires is that our hearts be turned to Him which results in our worship of Him. What we have as the desire of our heart is the most critical issue in all of life. Just one of many verses dealing with the heart is Proverbs 4:23: “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.” May we take the advice of Paul and continue to learn, and then do the things that are pleasing to the Lord.
Proverbs 3:6 “In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.”
1 John 3:21-22 “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.”
Ephesians 5:8-10 “for you were formally darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light (for the fruit of the light consist in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.”
2 Corinthians 5:9 “Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.”
Blessings,
Buddy
Ephesians 5:10 “…trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.”
Most people I talk to would like to see life more simple-and so would I. We were told at one time that the new advances we were making technology would enable us to work less and give us more free time-(ha ha!) I know that we can’t turn the clock back to the “good old days”, but I believe that we can attain a greater sense of “simplicity” in a chaotic world. To live a life of purpose and direction and enjoy a sense of simplicity, we have to have some motivating force or goal within that determines and directs our life. For example, if I am committed to working in my workshop on Saturday, then other distractions or possibilities or eliminated. Having a pre-determined plan or goal will reduce or eliminate a lot of distractions. This principle is especially true in our walk with the Lord. As in the above verse, if our goal, our ambition in life, is to learn the things that are “pleasing to the Lord”, we will indeed discover purpose in all that we do. The words “trying to learn” implies that we are not robots and that everything is not automatic in life; but rather we are individuals who can learn, who can make choices and who can discover truth. This verse also points out that our God is personal and that we can actually have interaction with Him; and that we can please Him and we can displease Him as well. Just the fact that we have the opportunity to please God-the creator of everything-should be the great motivation in our life. The goal of pleasing Him cannot be just mental on our part, but has to be the desire of the heart as well. It’s possible for us to please Him in everything we do-even washing the dishes, mowing the grass, etc. We see this truth in Romans 8:28 “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” When our heart is to please Him, nothing is mundane - everything has purpose! I believe that the one big thing that God desires is that our hearts be turned to Him which results in our worship of Him. What we have as the desire of our heart is the most critical issue in all of life. Just one of many verses dealing with the heart is Proverbs 4:23: “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.” May we take the advice of Paul and continue to learn, and then do the things that are pleasing to the Lord.
Proverbs 3:6 “In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.”
1 John 3:21-22 “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.”
Ephesians 5:8-10 “for you were formally darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light (for the fruit of the light consist in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.”
2 Corinthians 5:9 “Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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